Published: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 10:06 PM.

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KINGS MOUNTAIN — It had the feel of a late-season battle or a postseason matchup.

Individual matches were down to the wire, with one even taking two extra minutes.

And it was opening night in the Big South 3A Conference as defending champion North Gaston secured a 41-25 win against Kings Mountain at Parker Gym on Tuesday.

“We expect it with Kings Mountain every year,” North Gaston coach Beau Norwood said. “It’s a lasting rivalry. It was a total team effort for us tonight.”

It was also a record-breaking night for Collin Johnson, who set a new mark for most career wins among Wildcats with 140 to break former state runner-up Cody Lowe’s standard. That came after Johnson’s school-record 64 victories a season ago.

Johnson pinned Jonathan Clark with 22 seconds left in the final period at 182 pounds. That all but sealed the outcome by pushing North Gaston’s edge to 35-19 with three matches remaining.

“It was tough having to be patient through the third period to get the pin,” Johnson said. “It means a lot, especially wrestling someone tough in an important conference match.”

KINGS MOUNTAIN — It had the feel of a late-season battle or a postseason matchup.

Individual matches were down to the wire, with one even taking two extra minutes.

And it was opening night in the Big South 3A Conference as defending champion North Gaston secured a 41-25 win against Kings Mountain at Parker Gym on Tuesday.

“We expect it with Kings Mountain every year,” North Gaston coach Beau Norwood said. “It’s a lasting rivalry. It was a total team effort for us tonight.”

It was also a record-breaking night for Collin Johnson, who set a new mark for most career wins among Wildcats with 140 to break former state runner-up Cody Lowe’s standard. That came after Johnson’s school-record 64 victories a season ago.

Johnson pinned Jonathan Clark with 22 seconds left in the final period at 182 pounds. That all but sealed the outcome by pushing North Gaston’s edge to 35-19 with three matches remaining.

“It was tough having to be patient through the third period to get the pin,” Johnson said. “It means a lot, especially wrestling someone tough in an important conference match.”

Jacob Miller prevailed 5-2 for Kings Mountain at 195 lbs., and Cody Griffith used an escape in the final seconds of the third period for a 9-7 triumph at 220 to make it 35-25.

But North Gaston’s James Passmore capped the night with a pin at 285 to extend it to the final margin.

Earlier, Kings Mountain’s Markhel Hemphill scored an 11-5 victory against Brandon Anderson at 160 in a match that went eight minutes after the usual six, then seven, wasn’t enough to break a 4-all tie.

“We knew coming in that every match would be tight. North Gaston has a very good team,” Kings Mountain coach Kenny Bridges said. “Kings Mountain versus North Gaston has always been a special match.”

Bridges said the Wildcats should be able to make a run at a state title, but he hopes his team can earn the league’s other playoff spot and possibly force a rematch.

“They were just a little better than us tonight,” Bridges said. “But I’m proud of them (his team). They fought hard.”